For those New Yorkers who plan to vote but still have many questions about this year's local election, Gotham Gazette offers the following guide to Primary Day, September 13, 2005. And on the night of the primary and in the days after, see Gotham Gazette's Election Results.

WHO IS RUNNING?

Mayor

Six Democrats are running for mayor this year. The four major
candidates are Former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, Manhattan
Borough President C. Virginia Fields, City Council Speaker Gifford
Miller, and U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner. Two less-known candidates -
Christopher Brodeur and Arthur Piccolo - are also running. (Click here to learn more about
the candidates running for mayor.)

Although Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg is seeking reelection, he
does not face a primary because he was successful in knocking his
Republican challenger Thomas Ognibene off the ballot.

Public Advocate

The public advocate is the second-highest official in the city, a
"watchdog" over the mayor and the rest of city government. This year,
five Democrats are challenging incumbent Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum.
Gotbaum's critics not only question the incumbent's record, but what
public advocate is, what it should be, and if the job should exist at
all. (Click
here to learn more about the race.)

Manhattan Borough President

One of the most crowded races this year
is for Manhattan Borough President, a position with little real power, but one that many politicians are still
seeking. Nine Democrats are vying for the borough president seat in
Manhattan. (Read more about the race.) However, there are
NO party primaries for Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, or Staten Island Borough President.

City Council

Although all 51 City Council members must run for
reelection this year, there are only 25 primary races on September 13 -
all of them for the Democratic nomination. In the other 26 races the
incumbent's name won't appear on the ballot until the General Election.

The most competitive races are for six open seats in which the
incumbent must leave office because of term limits. (Click here for articles on the open
seats and other competitive races.)

Manhattan District Attorney

Robert Morgenthau, at the age of 86, is seeking his ninth term as Manhattan's chief prosecutor. Former State
Supreme Court Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder is trying to unseat him.
(Click here to about the
race.)

Brooklyn District Attorney

Current Brooklyn District Attorney Charles
Hynes faces three Democratic challengers this year - Arnie Kriss, Mark
Peters, and John Sampson - who say Hynes has not done enough to root out
corruption. (Click here to
learn more about the race.)

Surrogate's Court

Surrogate's Court Judges oversee wills and estates
and also consider adoptions in New York City. Earlier this year,
Brooklyn Surrogate's Michael Feinberg was kicked off the bench for
corruption, and three Democrats are now seeking the Brooklyn seat. In Manhattan, a sitting
Surrogate's Court Judge has reached the mandatory retirement age of 70,
so two Democrats are seeking that seat.

Civil Court Judge

In Brooklyn, voters will have a chance to vote in a Democratic primary for Civil Court judge. One countywide seat and two seats in district 3 and 6 are vacant.

Political Party Positions

For many voters, the most confusing thing
on Primary Election ballot is the long lists of candidates running for obscure political party
positions. This year, Democrats and Republicans will be asked
to vote for male and female district leaders, state committee members,
and delegates to judicial conventions.

These are positions within the parties.

District leaders are chosen to head up the local party within an
assembly district. They serve as a liaison to the political clubs and
ensure that the party structure is operating on a local level. In
Brooklyn, Democratic district leaders elect the powerful county leader and hire the
paid inspectors that control polling sites on Election Day.

State committee representatives report to the State Democratic Party
of New York and vote on party matters.

And judicial convention delegates are a group of party loyalists who
attend a convention to approve candidates for judicial elections.
However, these conventions are often just a formality, since the party
leaders nominate the candidates they want. (Find out more about
judgeships and judicial conventions in the Judges Game.)

It is difficult to find out any information about these candidates.
Few of them actively campaign and information varies from district to
district. Some local political clubs can give you information (although
they will likely promote specific candidates.) The Board of Elections
also has a full list of the
people running (in .pdf format).

On the district page, you will find a list of candidates running,
information about their campaign contributions, candidate biographies,
and an archive of news stories from the campaign trail.

You can also click on the link to the Campaign Finance Board's Voter
Guide located on each district page for more information about the
people running in your neighborhood.

WHICH CITY COUNCIL RACES ARE COMPETITIVE?

In New York City it is difficult to unseat an incumbent City Council
member. They generally have more campaign contributions, more political
support from clubs and unions, and better name recognition. Many do not
even face opponents this year. For example, Councilmember Simcha Felder
is running as a Democrat, Republican and Conservative in district 44. In
Queens district 27, Leroy Comrie will appear on four party lines:
Democrat, Republican, Independent, and Working Families.

However, there are seven open seats where the incumbent is leaving
office this year.

On the Upper East Side, City Councilmember Eva Moskowitz is leaving
her district 4 seat to run
for Borough President, and four Democrats are hoping to succeed her.

In East Harlem, an actor, a former firefighter, a TV broadcaster, a
union leader, and the head of a charter school are running for the district 8 seat where Phil
Reed is barred from running again because of term limits.

In Central Brooklyn,
64-year-old former State Assemblymember William Boyland Sr. is coming
out of retirement to try to keep the seat his daughter is vacating in
the family. Nine Democrats are challenging the Boyland dynasty.

One of the most bizarre races is in Richmond Hill, Queens, where
three Democrats are trying to unseat district 28 City
Councilmember Allan Jennings, who was charged with sexually harassing
his female employees. However, several of the challengers have also
problematic backgrounds: one faces charges of corruption and another has
been accused of physically assaulting another candidate.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

The mayor and other officials who are elected to run the city
government for the next four years face significant challenges.

On education: New York City has 1.1 million school children, but only
about half graduate on time.

On housing: Nearly a quarter of renters pay more than 50 percent of
their incomes for housing. And the city also has a record number of
homeless people, about 35,000 people in the city's shelters, 25 percent
more than four years ago.

And on transportation: The last new subway line opened in New York
City nearly 65 years ago.

To highlight some of these issues that are - or are not - being
discussed in the campaign, Gotham Gazette did a series of articles on
the challenges facing the city over the next four years. Several of them
also explain candidates' views or track record on the issue. Read our
Campaign 2005 articles on:

WHAT ARE THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES SAYING?

In the race for mayor, the four major Democratic candidates - Fernando Ferrer, C. Virginia Fields,
Gifford Miller, and Anthony Weiner - are challenging Mayor Michael
Bloomberg's record and trying to convince voters that it is time for a
change.

But how do they really differ on the issues? And how do their plans
compare with the mayor's?

With Gotham Gazette's Mayoral Issue Grid, voters can compare the
candidate's agenda on more than a dozen issues, including civil rights,
education, housing, immigration, and transportation.

Those who want even more details on a specific topic can read the
transcripts of debates and forums where candidates answered questions
about poverty, parks, budget and taxes, gay and lesbian issues, and
historic landmarks. (Click here for a complete list of debate transcripts.)

HOW DO VOTERS CHOOSE A CANDIDATE?

The question of how voters make their decisions is as old as
democracy itself. Political scientists study voter behavior; pollsters
try to predict it; and political consultants charge thousands of dollars
for their experience.

But most experts agree that the most effective way to reach a voter is
through personal contact by someone who is known or trusted by the
voter.

"The degree to which voters think a candidate understands and responds
to them are every bit as important as issues, " said John Mollenkopf,
professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Political science professors and consultants say that in some cases
television ads or campaign literature can also be valuable tools in
reaching voters, gaining name recognition, and getting a message out to
large numbers of people.

Debates can be a helpful way to see a candidate respond to questions
or criticism, but not many voters actually watch them.

The reality is that most New Yorkers don't vote. In 2001, only 15 percent of all New Yorkers
eligible to vote made Michael Bloomberg the mayor in 2001. And many City
Council races draw just a few thousand voters out of the 150,000 people
represented in each district.

WHO IS ENDORSING WHOM?

Some voters take their cues from others - unions, newspapers, civic
organizations, or politicians - who choose to endorse certain
candidates.

Some endorsements matter more than others.

"Union endorsements have a significant impact on what members do,
less on their families and others," said Mollenkopf. "Newspaper
editorials mostly help when they confirm what someone is thinking of
doing anyway,"

ARE YOUR ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?

New Yorkers must be registered with either the Democratic or
Republican party to vote in the September 13 primary of your party. If
you did not register by the August 19 deadline, you are not eligible to
vote.

WHERE DO YOU VOTE?

Registered voters should receive an orange post card in the mail with
the address of their polling place. If you did not, try the Board of
Elections' online poll site
locator, which is new this year. You can also try calling the Board of
Elections at 1-866-VOTE NYC.

Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 9:00 p.m.

On their website, the Board of Elections also has instructions for how to work
the voting machine.

Absentee ballot applications can be obtained calling the Board of
Elections at 1-866-VOTE-NYC, e-mailing a request to
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.

Those who wish to vote by absentee ballot have two choices:

- Deliver by mail: To be counted, an absentee ballot must be
postmarked by the day before Primary Day, September 12 and must reach
the Board of Elections no more than seven days after the election. -
Deliver in person: You can drop off an absentee ballot at one of the
Board of Elections borough offices by 9:00 p.m. on Primary Day.

WHAT ARE YOUR VOTING RIGHTS?

The New York Voter's Bill of Rights guarantees the right to:

Vote: The right to vote includes voting for candidates and questions
on the ballot.

Have Your Vote Count: Vote on a voting system that is in working
condition and that will allow votes to be accurately counted.

Secrecy in Voting: Secrecy in voting will be preserved for all
elections.

Freedom in Voting: Cast your vote, free from coercion or intimidation
by poll workers or any other person.

Permanent Registration: Once registered to vote, you will continue to
remain qualified to vote from an address within your county or city.

Accessible Elections: Non-discriminatory equal access to the election
system for all voters, including the elderly, disabled, alternative
language minorities, military and overseas citizens, as required by
federal and state laws.

Assistance in Voting: You may ask for help in voting because of
blindness, disability, or inability to read or write.

Instructions in Voting: You can view a sample ballot in this polling
place prior to voting, and before entering the machine, you may request
help in how to operate the machine.

Absentee Voting: If you will be out of your county of residence on
Election Day, or are unable to go to your polling place due to illness
or physical disability, you may cast an absentee ballot.

Affidavit Voting: Whenever your name does not appear in the official
poll book, you will be offered an affidavit ballot.

WHAT DO FIRST TIME VOTERS NEED TO KNOW?

New voting regulations may cause confusion at the polls.

New Yorkers who registered to vote for the first time via mail after
January 1, 2003, may be asked to provide identification, such as a
driver's license, when they go to the polls.

Those without a driver's license can also offer a copy of one of the
following:

a valid photo ID

a current utility bill

a bank statement

a government check or other government document that shows the voter's name and address.

Those who don't have any form of identification or refuse to supply
one will be allowed to vote on paper ballot, not in the machines,
according to the Board of Elections. Those votes will be counted if they
are verified to match registration forms.

The new rule is part of the federal Help America Vote Act, which
Congress passed after the turmoil in Florida during the 2000
presidential election.

WHAT IF YOU ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS AT THE POLLS?

If a poll worker says you are not on the list, ask an inspector to
verify that you are at the correct Election and Assembly District for
your address. If you believe that you are eligible to vote, you can ask
for a paper or affidavit ballot. After the election, the Board of
Elections will check its records and your vote will be counted if you
are deemed eligible to vote and were at the correct polling site.

The Board of Elections says that it has increased efforts to make
polling places accessible for senior citizens and handicapped voters,
but they admit that there are still problems at some sites. Voters who
feel that their polling site is inaccessible should call the Voter
Registration Unit of their local borough office for information.

If you encounter problems at the polls, call one of the following
places:

- League of Women Voters Election Day Hotline: 212-725-3541
- New York Public Interest Research Group: 212-822-0282
- New York Civil Liberties Union: 212-344-3005

The Place for New York Policy and politics

Gotham Gazette is published by Citizens Union Foundation and is made possible by support from the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Altman Foundation,the Fund for the City of New York and donors to Citizens Union Foundation. Please consider supporting Citizens Union Foundation's public education programs. Critical early support to Gotham Gazette was provided by the Charles H. Revson Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.